GOSPEL music sensation Mayibongwe Mthimkhulu was on Monday
evening embarrassed when her estranged boyfriend, Doctor Myeni
dragged her out of a car in which she was relaxing, allegedly
with a cabinet minister.

Myeni said he was shocked to discover that Mthimkhulu was
two-timing him with a certain minister when he had always
thought their love affair was all a bed of roses. The history
of the escapades of their short-lived relationship lies in the
details.

However, Mthimkhulu said she was not with a cabinet
minister, as alleged, but with someone else. She also claimed
her love affair with Myeni had walked into a ‘dead’ alley a
long time ago. The minister however had switched off his
mobile phone throughout yesterday.

The rest was just the popular heated rhetoric that
characterised every love affair that had ended abruptly.

Monday’s incident attracted the attention of passers-by who
were shell shocked at the sudden brouhaha that ensued in full
view of members of the public next to Wild Wings food outlet.

After the wild altercation that almost resulted in an
exchange of blows, Myeni said he had finally told the
‘minister’ to take Mthimkhulu with him.

He said the reason Mthimkhulu had hooked up with the
minister was that he (Myeni) had refused to take her to
Mbabane from the studio where she was recording an album.

“I tried to explain to her that it would be cost effective
to drop her off at the bus rank where she would then take a
kombi. I also had to take my son to The Clinic because he was
ill. After refusing for some time, she finally agreed and I
left her at the bus rank.

“My gut feeling told me something was amiss and I decided
to return to the bus rank. It was then that I saw her
embarking a minister’s car next to Wild Wings. I went to her
and told her to alight but she declined and said I should
leave her alone. An altercation ensued until I decided to let
them go,” he said.

That was just part one of the drama. Part two unfolded in
the evening of the fateful day at the Working Girls’ Hostel in
Mbabane where Mthimkhulu resides.

From Manzini, Myeni drove to the hostel with the intention
to demand back all the gifts he had allegedly endowed upon
Mthimkhulu. These, he said, included a bra, hairpiece,
half-eaten box of corn flakes, a few eggs, a FM mini radio and
others.

The Catholic nuns succeeded in calming Myeni down and told
him to return the following day (yesterday) for his items.
However, more drama unfolded yesterday when Mthimkhulu
preferred the issue to be resolved at the police station.

Myeni was advised by the police to seek the intervention of
the court if he wanted his things back.

Woman arrested for murder

BY MUSA NHLEKO From The Swazi Times
MANZINI – A woman is alleged to have hacked a love rival to death with an
axe.

Thirty-year-old Mlindi Silindzile Maureen Dlamini of
Nsuka in Mankayane is alleged to have committed the offence after she noted
that her husband was now spending more time with the new lover, Dumsile
Lwazi Dlamini. Sources alleged that Mlindi followed the deceased Dumsile to
a local bus stop on February 6, and subsequently hacked her to death with
the axe along the way.

It has been alleged that she later dumped her in a shallow ditch in a forest
nearby.

A source said the accused, at some point, allegedlyhit the deceased with the
axe on the jaw, fracturing it.

Dumsile also suffered serious injuries on the neck. These were observed when
the body was found.

The source said the accused later returned home with the axe she had
allegedly used in the brutal killing.

Odour gives

body away

The body was found by a man had gone to look for his cattle in the forest.

He is said to have been drawn to it by an odour of decomposing flesh.

The man raised an alarm upon discovering that the smell came from a decaying
human body.

Residents responded to the alarm, and Mankayane police were called to
investigate the murder. Mlindi was arrested on the February 15, and
subsequently charged with the offence of mur- der.

Last Friday, March 16, she made a confession before Senior Magistrate
Charles Masango at the Manzini Magistrate’s Court.

Yesterday the accused made her first remand hearing and when her legal
rights were read to her, she preferred to conduct her own defence.

She looked calm, despite that only two women had come to support her.

Mlindi was remanded back to custody pending committal to the High Court.

POLICE FLAG CAUSES
STIRBy Bheki Gama

From The Swazi Observer

THE Swazi Observer has been inundated with calls from concerned
citizens with regards the new-look flag flown at the country’s police
stations and institutions.

Rife suspicions were to the effect that the national flag had been
made miniature to the police flag. However, this development has been
put to its correct perspective. This was viewed as giving the police
superior powers over the entire nation. Both flags are protected by
the country’s constitution.

Attorney General Majahenkhaba Dlamini who incidentally was a
prominent member of both the Prince Mangaliso Constitutional-led
Review Committee as well as the Prince David-chaired Constitutional
Draft Committee agreed that there were laws governing the national
flag. However, he sounded ill-prepared to answer pertinent questions
regarding the use of the country’s in other inferior national service
institutions. He said he was not a dictionary of everything and
therefore would need to consult his books in the office.

“This is not a matter I could just respond to through the phone, “
he said. However, he directed this newspaper to its lawyers. “Any
lawyer can tell you the importance of a flag,” he suggested.

Sive Siyinqaba National Movement’s Zibuse Simelane, who emphasised
that he was speaking as an individual, citizen said he had noted the
new-look police flag, but did not, for one minute, seriously
scrutinise it. He added that to those raised a different
interpretation of the new police flag, “I can only hope there were
intensive consultations before the incorporation of the national flag
into that of police.” Simelane further said he did not yet know about
police flag implications.

“Swazis may wish to know what it really means. We need an
explanation from the police service,” he said.

King’s Private Secretary Sam Mkhombe said he was not aware of the
matter and asked to reserve his comments. However, he mentioned that
he personally did not find anything wrong with the use of the Swazi
flag, saying flying the flag on one’s car did not mean they were now
conferred with powers over the country. He also appealed for an open
mind when looking at the issue. Deputy Senate President Senator
Ngomyayona Gamedze said he had not yet seen the new police flag. He
said it would be unfortunate if it were already viewed as symbols of a
police state. He promised to ‘make the necessary consultations
tomorrow (today) and come to you with an informed opinion.’

Manzini Regional Administrator Prince Masitsela said all questions
should be directed to the police and the Prime Minister. Government
spokesperson Percy Simelane said having the national flag embedded
into that of police had no particular significance. He said more than
anything this was a work of art. “Clothing designers have been using
the national flag on their creations and that does not mean they had
powers over the country,” he said.

He added that the flag as used by the police was a symbol of
identification, noting that the symbol of the lion was also used by
police elsewhere. Simelane likened the matter to the church where the
symbol of Jesus Christ is smaller than the building. “That does not
mean the building is mightier than Jesus,” he said.

Police Public Relations Officer Superintendent Vusie Masuku said he
would have to consult the police administration first before
commenting on the issue.

However, he said as far as he was concerned the national flag was
embedded to show patriotism and, apart from that, it has no particular
significance. There was, however, no clear explanation whether this
development was solely based on fashion rather than the explanation of
mere patriotism.

What of
the Witchcraft Act?

From The Swazi Times

Viewers of Channel Swazi were treated to a very entertaining live
broadcast of pastor Justice Dlamini from the Worship Centre last
Thursday evening.

This is where the host Qhawe Mamba gleamed in delight and became a
spectator, deriving pleasure from all the bile spewed by the
so-called man of God on the night.

For those who missed it, Mamba would occasionally grin before the
screen at intervals before spurring him on as the pastor went on
unchallenged over articles published in the Times of Swaziland
newspapers, which he described as a well-orchestrated scheme to ruin
him.

In fact, Mamba went on to demonstrate highly
unethical sympathy towards Pastor Justice by claiming that he was
also a victim of The Times.

Mamba is not new to praise singing and he was close to doing same at
the close of the show for Pastor Justice, a man who claims to have
the key to life and death; threatening the life of his (Mamba’s)
colleagues in the profession.

Mamba cheered as the pastor somersaulted on his previous statements,
denying he had ever prayed for the death of Dr Mzizi and others.

This is a man who wants journalists dead, then calls a press
conference to warn he is not joking because others who crossed his
path had died.

He counts 12 dead bodies, but names two. Now he says he never prayed
for their death but just asked “his God” to deal with them, and,
like a devil worshipper, has basked in the glory of their
misfortune.

He now threatens anybody who dares criticise him with similar fate.

Countries have laws. Swaziland has a Witchcraft Act, which makes it
an offence for one to claim to possess powers that can cause the
death of others.

Why is this case being treated differently? Or are the police too
busy grappling with the police union and neglected their jobs?

The pastor should not attempt to play the conman that he confessed
to being for a large part of his life at the press conference by
speaking in tongues now that he finds himself exposed for who or
what he really is.

Chaos in Court
By Mbongiseni Ndzimandze

From The Swazi Observer

17 March
2007

THERE was near chaos at the Mbabane Magistrates’ Court when
warders and an inmate were involved in a scuffle yesterday.

This happened after one of the accused, who had already
appeared before Senior Magistrate Dumsile Mamba for a remand
hearing, demanded to be returned to court because there was
something he wanted to clarify from the magistrate.

The warders who were manning security at the holding cells
refused, and it was then that a heated argument ensued.

The inmate was told by the warders that it was time to go.
Such did not go down well with him and he began to shout, in
the process disturbing court proceedings. Prosecutor Mandla
Dlamini, after realising that there was noise, quickly closed
the door leading to the court’s holding cells.

The warders had a tough time ushering the accused out as he
was aggressively forcing his way back to the courtroom.

It was after the door had been closed that the warders were
seen pushing and grabbing the inmate who was also shouting on
top of his voice, drawing the attention of other officers
around the court premises.

Quick intervention by the Royal Swaziland Police saved the
situation as they eventually managed to forcefully grab the
inmate to a police van, which was parked outside the court
premises.

In another development, police have arrested a man who is
alleged to have defrauded a woman of E2 700 under the pretext
that he was a police officer and was going to release her son
who was arrested in South Africa.

Mafuga Eric Mbuli is alleged to have misrepresented himself
to one Jabulile Gladys Hadzebe, telling her to pay the amount
if she wanted her son released.

The accused, through his lawyer, was, however, granted bail
fixed at E1000 - with conditions.

As one of his bail conditions, the magistrate ordered that
Mbuli surrender his travelling document to the investigating
officer, not to directly or indirectly interfere with
witnesses, especially Hadzebe, not commit a similar offence
while out on bail and to attend all remand hearings.

When silence means support

From The Swazi Times

17 March2007

Calls are mounting for action to be taken by the international community and
SADC countries on Zimbabwe following the killing of a protestor and brutal
assault on an opposition party leader who were protesting the Zimbabwean
President Robert Mugabe’s rule.

The silence from governments— especially those in the region—has been deafening,
Swaziland included.

The Swazi government may choose to ignore the crisis ‘in
respect of Zimbabwe’s sovereignty’ but the sad reality is that her silence
demonstrates a strong show of support for the Mugabe rule.

Swaziland is amongst African nations that subscribe to a united Africa ‘for the
good of its people’ but its commitment immediately becomes questionable when it
turns a blind eye on ‘the bad’ that is inflicted upon African people.

We also begin to question the success of initiatives such as the Peer Review
Mechanism, a product of the African Union aimed at encouraging governments to
improve their governance, if they dare not say a word in the face of a blatant
killing of an unarmed citizen and brutality on those who dare exercise their
rights to protest against what no African citizen could possibly bear.

Where is life in an economy with an inflation rate of 1700 percent?

Ours stands at 5.08 percent…for now; thanks largely to the fact that we are
riding piggyback on the South African economy!

Zimbabwe, once the jewel of Africa, is now no more than a germ in the eyes of
many fellow African brothers and sisters.

Many flee that country to neighbouring countries and abroad others, including
Swaziland, which makes it every African leader’s business to address the issue
for the simple reason that none of us wish to become refugees in a foreign land.

The guarantee to our livelihood starts with condemnations and calls for action
by governments against those who transgress, without fear or favour!

DROUGHT: FEAR, DESPAIRBy Timothy Simelane

From The Swazi Observer

15 March
2007

AS the drought spell unleashes an aura of despair and inevitable gloom in the
country, it has become imperative that alternatives be identified to control
the situation, stakeholders in the disaster management have said.

The World Food Programme said their figures showed that people reliant on food
relief would increase from 200 000 to 215 000 this year.

An estimate by the Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Mtiti Fakudze
was that relieving the drought stricken communities would cost not less that
E1 billion.

Without imitating a doomsayer, Fakudze also predicts that the cost of maize
will increase to a shocking E3000 per ton this year.

Fakudze said the acute shortage has exacerbated the drought situation and
would guarantee that there is too little or no meaningful harvest this year.

“Yinyandzaleyo emaSwatini. There is little hope and we just have to take
desperate measures,” he said. Fakudze said the idea of setting up a fund for
Swazis to donate towards the alleviation of hunger could not be dismissed,
only if there would be a commitment to use the funds in a responsible manner.

“We do not want a repeat of the Zamcolo (Cyclone Domonia) donations where
the money was stored in shelves and not used appropriately,” he said

Fakudze said assessment reports were that both the lowveld and highveld
would bear the brunt of the drought as the rains were scarce countrywide.

“Similarly, livestock will not survive because they depend on the very
natural resources such as water and grass for survival,” he said.

Fakudze said government had a task to compile a report and take it to the
international community where they would seek assistance towards the
alleviation of the drought.

“We will need billions of Emalangeni to help all the people that will be
affected by the drought,” he said. Fakudze said the problem was now beyond the
capabilities of government, but that it had grown to be a national issue.

He also talked of operationalising the Disaster Management Act as one of
the many potent strategies to harness the situation.

He said if the Swazis managed to raise E1.6 billion in the Job Creation
Summit, it would also raise a similar amount to alleviate the imminent
poverty.

The minister also appealed to partners of the country that include donor
agencies and the private sector to contribute to efforts aimed at saving
lives. World Food Programme (WFP) Resident Representative Abdoulaye Balde
outlined some alternatives that could be prioritised.

He said Swaziland could redeploy its resources to assist small holder
farmers who operate within areas where irrigation is available.

These are such as women in development who farm gardens and grown crops
that are resistant to drought.

“There is no hope in massive crops because that is where the drought is
concentrated. Even if some rains will come now, it is obvious that people can
no longer plant because this is not a planting season. We have to support
women in development who have needs for water and farming implements.”

He said there was an alternative for people to start feed lots. “But Swazis
are used to traditional means of keeping livestock as opposed to feedlots,” he
said. Balde also said there was also an option to free the market of maize to
create a fair trading ground for farmers. That would also see the price of
maize becoming competitive in an open market.

Trustee Gina, the Nkilongo MP said the situation could be worst than this
as the Great Usutu River, the country’s largest, was now drying up.

“We should have seen this calamity at a distance and tried to build dams to
capture the water. We ask that business people and individuals should all
contribute towards alleviating the effects of the drought,” he said. Balde
said statistics were such that one million Swazis eat 180 000 metric tones of
maize per year.

11. Chiefs should encourage people to appreciate the situation, such as
that there are no grazing areas.

‘Buganu
cost me arm and a leg’From The Swazi Times

BY MUSA NHLEKO
13 March2007

SITEKI – A man has told how he was hit by a speeding
train, while he was drunk from a marula-drinking spree, losing an arm and a
leg during the accident that happened on Monday afternoon.

The last time Mandla Matsenjwa (57) had a set of legs and arms was before he
staggered onto the rail line, where he fell asleep before he was crushed by
a train.

Matsenjwa lost his right arm about five centimetres from the shoulder and
his left leg from just above the knee.

The limbs were cut off at the scene and were later found
there by the police who then took them with him to the hospital where they
were placed in a cold enclosure.

This is a second train accident involving a person who allowed the annual
brew to take charge of his life.

Last week a man who slept next to a rail line after drinking marula sped
into a passing train after its sound had woken him up.

He sustained serious injuries, though not as grave as that of Matsenjwa.

Matsenjwa of Manyiseni in Big Bend regrets getting drunk.

He said everything started when he decided to have a few drinks before
leaving for his cousin Mfanimpela Mbham-ali’s place.

He said he was walking from his sister’s place at Mndobandoba when the
thought occurred.

As it was hot on that day, Matsenjwa said he drank so many jugs he could not
keep count, all in a bid to cool off.

“I then decided to leave around 8pm and headed for my cousin’s place, where
I would spend the night before departing for Manyiseni, where my home is,”
Matsenjwa said, while showing signs of agony on his face.

Along the way, Matsenjwa said he remembers trying to cross a railway line,
but he could not.

He said he still did not understand how he failed to cross the line.

He said he had always known though that when one was drunk from marula he
would not be able to cross a river or railway line.

He said he believed the railway line had a magnet, which was activated when
a train was passing.

This claim could not be fully verified at the time of compiling this report.

Matsenjwa did not hide the fact that he slept on the railway line and he
only discovered that he had been injured after the train had passed.

He said the train did not stop, adding that there was a second train, which
he believes also injured him, but this one did stop, and the driver, who
found Matsenjwa on the rail line called the police.

The police rushed the injured man to the Good Shepherd hospital, where he is
presently recuperating.

When the Swaziland Railway Public Relations Officer, Lizzy Mbhokane, was
reached for comment yesterday, she confirmed the accident and said her
organisation would investigate.

She said while her organisation was sympathetic to Matsenjwa, they were
appealing to the public to keep away from the railway at all times.

RADIO GAGS JUSTICE

From The Swazi Observer

By Timothy Simelane

13 March
2007

WHAT promised to be a
scintillating debate on the
escapades of Mbabane Worship
Centre’s Pastor Justice Dlamini
was pulled off the air at the
eleventh hours after the
Swaziland Broadcasting
Information Service (SBIS) took
a stand against it.

In its Morning Live show dubbed 'Letishisako', SBIS talk show host
Bonsile Dlamini apologised to all enthusiastic would-be
commentators of the issue, saying SBIS would not allow it to
proceed as planned. The debate, which is currently making
headlines, was sparked by Pastor Justices’ assertion that he had
prayed for the death of many people who crossed his path. At
worst, some of the people had died of different causes, whilst
some had serious problems in life. Dlamini claimed responsibility
for praying for their misery.

Explained the host: “We would like to apologise to all the
people who had previously called, willing to comment on the issue
that such interviews have since been canceled because they touch
on the lives of people.” Meanwhile Pastor Justice, when called
yesterday said the news that the debate was pulled off air had not
reached him.

“But, that does not shake me as I am currently relaxing without
any problem,” he said. SBIS Director Stan Motsa said the radio
station had taken a stand not to entertain comments on the issue
of Pastor Justice because it now touched on the identities of
certain individuals.

“We are protecting the entity of the SBIS from possible
litigation because the issue now includes certain personalities,”
he said.

Pastor Justice first made his astonishing claims after a Times
of Swaziland news reporter and editor published a story that he
had grabbed a car that was donated to one of the church pastors.
The pastor had resigned from the church when the car was taken
from him.

The self-styled clergyman announced that he had prayed for the
death of the two because he was not pleased with the manner they
handled his story.

When people registered shock at the uncommon prayer, he
revealed how he had prayed for many people who subsequently died
or experienced problems.

Another
bus day, another bus death

From The Swazi Times
13 March2007

When we ask leaders of this government
to take action against bus owners, like the Minister of Health
and Social Welfare Njabulo Mabuza, who allow buses that are
declared unroadworthy by the police on the road, nobody listens.

We warn our leaders that failure to take such action would
encourage others to do likewise, which unfortunately means
taking chances with people’s lives.

Sadly this is exactly what has occurred.

This time, unlike the minister’s bus which
injured a Mozambican and rammed into a wall after losing brakes
when entering the Manzini Bus Rank, another bus lost its brakes
on entry and crushed a woman to death.

Traffic laws are evidently no longer helpful and need urgent
review because it is the driver who gets arrested and charged
with culpable homicide, while the owner enjoys the full benefits
of the day’s collections in the comfort of his/her home.

This is why we look to our leaders and legislators to change
this situation to force the owners to account for their
vehicles.

This would instill a sense of responsibility on the part of the
busmen, which would in turn keep passengers safe; passengers
like those who were in a fully-loaded bus yesterday which,
ironically, also belongs to the minister of Health and Social
Welfare.

The bus is believed to have burst a tyre and plunged into a
ditch. There were pupils and teachers on board, but God has
spared their lives.

Whether the tyre was in good condition is not for us to say, but
where there are traces of failure to ensure that the buses are
roadworthy, we become sceptical. That is for the vehicle
inspectors to determine.

What legislators can determine, however, is responsibility; but
if nobody is responsible enough to make people accountable for
their actions, who will save the public from the killers on our
roads?

Rough Justice
continues ( Comment )

From The Swazi Times
12 March2007

The Grim Reaper,
otherwise known as Justice Dlamini, High Priest of the
Church of Death, has had another busy week.

He has now included in his hit list several more members
of The Times of Swaziland staff plus other sundry
pastors with whom he has disagreed. Perhaps he has
bought a controlling share in some local undertaker and
coffin-maker.

He has now become a true menace to society.

Last week he cruelly distressed, in a
brutal way, the family of the late Joshua Mzizi,
claiming that he had requested God to kill him. Just as
the family were coming to terms with their bereavement
this charlatan boasts - yes boasts, that he was
responsible for Joshua’s death. Absolute rubbish, Joshua
had suffered from diabetes, a debilitating disease, for
a long time before he passed away.

In the coming week people will die in Swaziland and
thereafter as is the normal cycle of our existence. But
they will die from old age, car accidents, fights,
chronic illnesses, drownings or fatal encounters with
wild animals.

They will have died without the wicked machinations and
so-called evil eye of a rogue priest such as Dlamini.
Any false prophet can stand up and claim to have so and
so killed using such natural events to his unholy
advantage. A cruel deceiver’s trick.

He also claimed last week in effect to have ‘smelled
out’ 12 wizards and had his god slaughter them.

Strange that there have been no news stories of heaps of
bodies piling up beside the logs at the roadsides of
Bhunya. ‘Smelling Out’ wizards or witches is still
illegal in Swaziland and is a punishable offence.
Reverend Justice Death Dlamini is a law-breaker, such is
this man of God.

Jesus Christ referred to people like death-dealing
Dlamini as “whitened sepulchers, which appear beautiful
outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones and of
all uncleanness.” Written in St. Matthew’s Gospel, The
New Testament.

Repent Dlamini, we don’t want you to die. We want you to
be redeemed from your evil ways. The Nation’s true God
can help you but your dark god cannot. Get a life, not a
death.

SD
LOSES E37bn DEALStories by Teetee Zwane

From The Swazi Observer

12 March
2007

A mining project worth about E37 billion (US$5 billion) initially meant
for Swaziland has since been
established in Mozambique.

Greenstone Mining, a Mbabane based company, has
signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with
the government of Mozambique’s state petroleum
company, ENH for various mining projects.

These include the construction and operation of
a 100 000 barrel per day petroleum refinery, 3.5
giga watt electricity generation plant and 3 000
hectares of hydroponic agriculture facility,
believed to be the biggest combined facility of
its kind in Africa.

initially

One of Greenstone Mining’s Directors Wilfred
Fakudze said the company had initially intended to
construct a similar facility at Siphofaneni after
introducing the project at the Job Creation Summit
in 2005.

“During the summit we had an exhibition stand
at the Mavuso Trade Centre where the investors,
who are from the United Kingdom, explained what
projects they had in mind for countries in the
region,” he said.

The director said the investors came to the
country at the invitation of the Swaziland
Investment Promotion Authority (SIPA) and wanted
to give Swaziland first preference in terms of
investment, as their intention was to initiate
projects in various African countries.

amendment

However, it was gathered that the project had
been put on hold in the country due to the
amendment of the Mining Act. It was also
established that the project proposal was
submitted to various authorities in the country
and approved, but had since been put on hold until
the new Act comes into effect.

However, Director of Geological and Mining
Surveys Richard Maphalala disputed this, saying it
was a blatant lie. He said stalling of the project
had nothing to do with the law, but instead, the
reasons had environmental implications.

“Firstly, the company wanted rights to the
entire coal field in Swaziland and as a country,
we could not allow them absolute access to this
one resource of national importance and benefit as
it would have put us in an uncompromising position
in the longrun,” he explained.

Maphalala said the company’s operations were
also going to pollute underground water and thus,
the department of geology could not allow this as
it would have been an environmental nightmare.

“The law has nothing to do with it,” he
emphasised, “this was just an environmental
nightmare. They should rather cite other reasons
not this one because even if the Act is being
amended, the old Act is still in effect until such
time the new one is enacted.”

The Greenstone case comes in the wake of Prime
Minister Themba Dlamini lamenting the energy
problems facing the country, with shortages
expected to be experienced in the near future,
following outages in South Africa which is
currently the main supplier of power to Swaziland.

assist

At a business breakfast meeting last week, he
urged local investors and stakeholders to come
forth with projects that would assist government
in addressing the problem.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Majozi Sithole
pointed out in his budget speech, delivered on
February 21, that to increase local energy
generation, government was working on establishing
a 19 Megawatt Hydro -Power Station at Maguga dam
to be commissioned this year while a feasibility
study for a possible 1000 - 2000 Megawatt Coal
Fired Power Station to utilise the country’s coal
reserves was being undertaken.

On the other hand, Greenstone’s Fakudze said:
“The investors wanted to invest not only in
Swaziland but other countries as well. They are
offering both finance and technical assistance to
developing countries in the region,” said Fakudze.

The director, however, stated that this
development did not mean the project would no
longer be established in the Kingdom. He said the
investors would eventually invest in the country,
but still had to wait for a few logistics to be
put in place.

“The total value of the investment in
Mozambique is about E37 billion (US$5 billion) and
the project is expected on stream within five
years,” he said, adding that the Mozambican
government held a 47 percent share in the joint
venture company.

Fakudze explained that the project entailed the
use of high technology to convert coal, oil and
natural gas into petrol, diesel and jet fuel while
considering every aspect of long term national
economic development as well as environmental
impact.

authorities

He said the project was initially presented to
the relevant authorities in the country in 2004
and it had taken almost three years now without
any progress. “We hope when the Act comes into
place we will be called upon to discuss further
developments and hopefully put the project in
motion.”

Fakudze said the project had the potential to
employ a lot of people who would be needed for the
greenhouses, hydro-power and refinery plants as
well as supporting jobs that would arise.

Meanwhile, SIPA Acting General Manager John
Creamer said he was not familiar with the proposed
project and developments as he was not part of the
delegation that extended the invitation and not in
the relevant department at the time. Efforts to
get hold of SIPA Manager - Foreign Direct
Investment Zizwe Vilane proved futile.

Marula gets them
strippingBy Mbongiseni Ndzimandze

From The Swazi Observer

26 February
2007

As the Marula fever gains grip on the imbibing segments of the
population, two men from Nhlangano paraded naked while singing
loudly along Nhlangano’s 5th Street in yesterday.

Police Public Relations officer, Superintendent Vusi Masuku,
stated that the two attracted members of the public and the
police, who swiftly took action by arresting them.

“There was a dramatic chase and the police managed to
arrest the two allegedly drunk men. They are a 28 years old
man of Makhukhula and a 24 year old man of Mbangweni and were
charged with public indecency,” he said.

He stated that the two were however released after paying
the E60 admission of guilt fine.

“As members the police we would like to warn members of the
public not to commit or conduct themselves in acts that are
against good morals of the society. People who will fail to
behave themselves will face the full wrath of the law,” added
Masuku.

On another development Manzini police arrested and charged
four men, three from Soweto, South Africa, and the other one
from Thembelihle in Mbabane, after being found in possession
of a 38mm revolver which was loaded with 14 live rounds of
ammunition and one rubber bullet without a licence while at
Manzini.

The four are expected to appear before the Manzini
Magistrate’s Courts today.

Masuku also reported that Lavumisa police are investigating
murder of a 50 year old man of Qomintaba area who was on
Sunday found lying dead with several stabs wounds all over the
body while in the same area and no one had been arrested so
far.

In another case, Masuku reported that along Hlatikulu/
Mhlaleni public road a Toyota Hilux driven by a 35 year old
man from Mpolonjeni in Mbabane knocked down a seven year old
pedestrian girl from the Nkwene.

The police mouth piece stated that the girl was rushed to
Hlatikulu Government Hospital, where she died while undergoing
treatment.

He stated that the driver has since been charged with
culpable homicide and will today appear before Hlatikulu
Magistrate’s Courts.

Dumped
hours after wedding
From The Swazi TimesBY SIHLE MZILENI

26 February
2007

NHLANGANO- It is every woman’s dream to get married, but for Bonakele Nzima
(36), hers turned into a nightmare when her marriage lasted for only a few
hours.She got the shock of her life when her husband kicked her out of their
home hours into their marriage for lying about her age and the number of
children she has. Nzima of Mthunzini in Lavumisa, was made to leave her
matrimonial homestead the same day she had been traditionally wed (tekaed)
to Patrick Mngometulu in Mndobandoba two weeks ago.

This was after the groom had stumbled across the woman’s
birth certificate which showed that she was five years older than him yet
she had claimed they were of the same age.

She said her husband also told her that he had independently found out she
had three children from previous relationships and not just the one child
she had told him about.

It was gathered that Mngometulu is now seeking the bride’s family to pay
back his cow that he paid to her in-laws as a symbol of oneness with his
wife, known as Insulamnyembeti. Narrating her ordeal, the teary Nzima said
that she was still recovering from the pain that her husband caused to her
especially after a wedding day. “He humiliated me before his relatives and
my own siblings who had come to support me during the teka ceremony. He did
not even give me time to explain,” Nzima added. Nzima said she was just from
the kraal after she had been smeared with red ochre when her husband told
her to leave his parental homestead premises immediately.

“My husband angrily bolted into where the bridal party was meeting and
ordered the teka process be stopped saying he was no longer interested in
me. When my relatives asked for an explanation he said we should get all the
details from his father but in the meantime we should get out of the
premises,” Nzima added. When sought for comment, the groom, Mngometulu, told
the Times that he had to force his ‘ex-wife’ to leave because she had lied
to him and he lost confidence in her.

“First of all I had been suspicious that there was something she was hiding
from me such that on the day she was being tekaed, I became inquisitive and
went through her stuff that she had placed at my flat (Lilawu). Fortunately
I came across her birth certificate that indicated that she was born in 1971
as opposed to the 1978 she had told me was the year she was born. I was born
in 1976 and she is too old to be my wife. I also came across certificates of
her two children that she never told me about yet she told me that she had
one child who is five years old,” Mngometulu added.

He said he was shocked that the two boys that he had always believed were
her brothers were actually her children, one aged 16 and the other 12.

“These boys are more able bodied than I am and even taller. I could not take
the lies and I felt there were a lot of things that she was not honest about
regarding her past. In a moment I could not trust her so I felt I could not
trust her in my life time,” Mngometulu added.

He said he sought the cow that he paid to his in-laws as per custom when one
is tekaed.

“I have since asked my father to reclaim the cow since he was the one who
continued with paying it after I had told him not to do so. I am unemployed
and I need to take another wife. I want to use the cow to pay
Insulamnyembeti for a wife who shall be honest to me,” Mngometulu added.

In the meantime Nzima said Mngometulu had been misled about the
certificates. “I had to lie to the officers about my age when I went to make
the certificate because I was too young to take it for myself. I had to
increase my years so that they would give me the service. I was born in
1978.

“As for my two boys, I was still going to tell him the truth about them but
I was scared he would dump me since he also told me that he had one child. I
still take him as my husband since in Swazi culture there is no divorce
after one has smeared you with red ochre” Nzima added.

TRAGEDY: TWO KILLED BY
BUGANUBy Ackel Zwane

From The Swazi Observer

19 February
2007

TWO people died after drinking the potent
marula brew at Mzaceni on Friday.

Sitani Magagula was hastily buried yesterday
morning by relatives who used wooden doors
as a coffin. This was a result of seething
poverty engulfing the family.

The two were victims died of suspected
poisoning after a neighbour invited them for
a drink yet the families had previously
fought over a missing shovel.

Boy Sifundza and Sitani, his mother, fell
sick on Thursday evening immediately after
the drinking spree.

Boy was immediately rushed to to the
clinic after he had lost his speech. He was
rushed to Mkhuzweni Clinic and transferred
to Pigg’s Peak Government where he finally
died. His remains at the mortuary await
burial but there are no means for the
exercise.

It is alleged that in November last year
a neighbour was arrested for battering
someone. Having served his term in prison
his homestead was left with no minder. As a
result his properties were looted.

Nephew Elmon Nhlabatsi said Boy came
across a shovel and took it home. That
shovel apparently belonged to the neighbour.
It then transpired that the said neighbour
suspected that the shovel found with Boy was
evidence enough that the other missing items
may have been taken by Boy.

Last week, Nhlabatsi said, Sitani, Boy,
Jabulile and a three-year-old boy were
invited for a drink by the neighbour.
Another fellow, Sgawula Mhlabane joined the
party. After having some but not too many
they decided to return home. By then the
child had been served with Ligusha.

On their return home they were called
again, says Nhlabatsi, for another round of
drink. After their return trouble started at
night.

Jabulile Magagula is battling for dear
life at Mkhuzweni Clinic.

On admission she was served with drip but
by then she had lost her mind, it was
gathered.

Last night she was able to answer to
questions but said she was feeling dizzy.
She could not proceed to give an account of
what transpired on Thursday but only groaned
to be allowed to relax.

However, when we visited the neighbour we
found no one at home.

yesterday morning mourners filled the
Sifundza homestead in respect of the dead as
per custom to be served to other rounds of
marula.

They related how Nhlabatsi had to
dismantle doors to some of his huts to make
a coffin for Sitani. He said he was a
pensioner with no earnings, given the state
of scarcity of rains.

He, therefore, appealed to the nation to
assist him with the 10 orphans left by Boy
who also lived from hand to mouth.

Coming into the Sifundza homestead one is
met by a sore sight of thin blades of maize
crops already succumbing to the scorching
heat.

Peels of the marula fruit litter the
homestead. They say it is the only thing
that keeps tears back and suspends the
trauma of the tragedy.

“We look upon God to intervene. We do not
have much to say,” says Nhlabatsi.

Happy Sifundza was holding her
grandmother Sitani when she finally died.
She says the old woman had lost her speech
and wobbled each time she attempted to
either vomit or relieve herself.

It is expected that Boy might be buried
on Sunday but the problem is that they do
not know how. They said they would also wish
to exhume Sitani’s body, given the
assistance, so that they may afford her a
decent burial.

Drunk woman drives govt tractor, kills hubbyBy Thabile Masuku

From The Swazi Observer

19 February
2007

IN a weekend characterised by fatal tractor and
motorbike accidents, an allegedly drunk woman ran over
her husband in a government tractor, killing him on the
spot.

The incident happened at Lubulini, in the Lubombo
region, at around 6pm on Saturday.

The deceased was employed by government and had
finished carrying out his duties for the day. Police say
the couple was driving from Ncandweni to Manyonyaneni
Cattle Breeding Station, where they resided in a
government compound.

“The man had given the woman the tractor to drive
while he sat on the tractor’s must guard. As they were
driving, the man fell off and the tractor ran over him,
killing him on the spot,” said Police Public Relations
Officer Superintendent Vusie Masuku yesterday.

Supt. Masuku said there were other passengers in the
tractor but they all survived.

The woman, Ntombifuthi Myeni (30) was subsequently
arrested and charged with culpable homicide, unlicensed
driving and drink-driving. She is expected to appear
before the Lubulini Magistrates' court this morning. The
deceased was aged 58.

On another note, a 17-year-old boy died tragically
when the tractor he was driving lost control and
overturned at Ngcwengcweni in the Hhohho region on
Saturday.

The tractor is said to have been pulling a trailer
filled with river sand when the boy lost control of the
vehicle, dying on the spot.

The incident happened at around noon.

Meanwhile, two people died in different motorbike
accidents over the weekend.

One of them involved a 27-year-old man of Manzini,
whose motorbike collided with a vehicle near Phondo. The
cyclist is said to have failed to negotiate a sharp
corner thus the bike collided with an oncoming vehicle.
He died on the spot while the driver of the vehicle was
rushed to Mankayane Government Hospital, where he was
treated and discharged.

The last accident involved a South African cyclist
who was partaking in an Orion Hotel competition. The
unidentified cyclist is said to have been found by
residents of Mgobodzi, in the Northern Hhohho region,
frothing. He died on arrival at Pigg’s Peak Government
Hospital.

10 years for killing
brother-in-lawBy Timothy Simelane

From The Swazi Observer

16 February
2007

A MAN who was arrested for the murder of his brother in law, was
found guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced by the High Court to
10 years imprisonment.

Joseph Mbuyisa (62) was arrested in June 26, 2004 for allegedly
bashing Mvimbi Mbhamali with a log on the head after an argument
over a Boxer cigarette.

Acting Chief Justice Jacobus Annandale said after hearing a
statement of fact written by the accused and seen by both the crown
council and his lawyer, he was convinced that there had been no
intention to commit the crime of murder.

He then sentenced Mbuyisa to 10 years in jail, five of which were
suspended for a period of three years on condition that he not be
found to have committed a similar offence. The sentence was also
backdated to the time when he was arrested. His lawyer, Collin
Ntiwane argued that the 32 months Mbuyisa spent in jail amounts to
four years in that a year is eight months. The implication is that
Mbuyisa could spend eight more months in jail.

He had pleaded guilty to culpable homicide. On the fateful day,
Mbuyisa was seated with friends at a homestead enjoying traditional
brew when Mbhamali came and grabbed a boxer cigarette from his
mouth. He told the court that he was annoyed by the deceased's
action so much that he grabbed a log and bashed him on the head.

Mbuyisa said when he realised that he had hurt the deceased, he
bandaged him and had thought the injury was minor.

He then slept in the same room with him until the following
morning when he called for an ambulance. It was when he was rushed
to hospital that he died.

Handing down the sentence, Justice Annandale remarked that
Mbuyisa would be haunted by the consequences of his actions all his
life.

“Human life is worth more than gold or diamond. You cannot undo
the harm that you have already done. If you do not ask for
forgiveness from the Lord Jesus Christ, you will also burn in hell,”
he said.

The judge also told Mbuyisa that after his release from jail he
had to go and ask for forgiveness from the family of the deceased.

FOUNDER COP
ARRESTEDBy Mbongiseni Ndzimandze

From The Swazi Observer

16 February
2007

ONE of the police officers behind the formation of the police
union has since been arrested and charged for contempt of court
in that he failed to appear before the police tribunal.

Buhle Dlamini yesterday appeared before Magistrate Lorraine
Hlophe, who ordered that he appear before the tribunal court at
9:00 am today.

His lawyer, Thulani Maseko agreed to the arrangement while
Senior Prosecutor Cecilia Ndlovu applied that should Dlamini
fail to appear before the tribunal today he must be apprehended
so that he would always be fetched from custody when needed.
Dlamini’s arrest comes after he is alleged to have failed to
honour two summons that were issued against him and in the
process contravened Section 15 of the Police and Public Order
Act of 1957.

Section One of the Act reads “any person summoned as a
witness under Section 14 and fails to attended the tribunal at a
time and place mentioned in the summons and anyone who refuses
to be sworn, refuses to give evidence or to produce any book,
paper or document under his control lawfully required to be
produced, or to answer lawful questions put to him shall be
guilty of an offence and liable of conviction to be dealt with
by a magistrate’s court in like manner as if duly summoned to
appear at criminal trial.”

He is alleged to have been issued with a summon on 21
February last year, but refused to sign it and another warrant
was issued but he never appeared before the tribunal.

Before the tribunal, Dlamini is expected to answer
allegations that he absented himself from work and further
demanded payment for staying at home.

Information gathered is that Dlamini’s issue backdates from
last year when it is alleged that after graduating for a degree
in law at the University of Swaziland he never showed up for
work.

It is further alleged that several instructions were issued
by his superiors that he appear before the tribunal but Dlamini
is alleged to have failed.

Information gathered is that Dlamini surrendered himself to
the police yesterday morning after getting information that he
was wanted by the police.

In a separate interview Dlamini stated that it was around
11p.m when police officers crammed his flat only to find that
his girlfriend was alone inside. “It was after discovering that
I was not inside that they searched everything in the room. In
the morning I went straight to the Mbabane police station where
I was later arrested,” added Dlamini. Dlamini, who was in a
jovial mood at the Magistrates' court, is expected to be hauled
before the tribunal today and should he fail he would be
apprehended by the police.

The Act further states that a member of the force other than
a senior officer who is guilty of an offence against discipline
shall be liable to any one or more of the following :

(a)Where disciplinary proceedings are conducted by the
tribunal, the member of the force shall be liable for admonition
reprimand, sever reprimand or a fine not exceeding E 200.

It state that any fine imposed upon a member of the Force may
be recovered by stoppage from pay of that particular member.

PROOF THAT
DOING RIGHT - BRINGS GOOD RESULTSBy Musa
Ndlangamandla

From The Swazi Observer

15 February
2007

IN recent years the country has
attracted bad publicity in the
international media like flies
to cow dung.

If it were not a negative
report about our cultural way of
life and traditional leadership,
it was the topsy-turvy political
landscape, runaway poverty or
the dubious honour of leading
the world in HIV prevalence
rate.

Those lucky enough to have
travelled spend to the hinder
lands attract a lot of attention
to themselves as soon as they
declare themselves Swazi - all
sorts of questions are asked as
the country is potrayed to be a
'Micky-Mouse' setting in the
world stage.

Many had given up hope that
any good could come out of the
situation, with hundreds hiding
their national identity once
they are abroad.

A shame indeed.

However, headlines of the
past few days have shown us that
indeed there is another face of
Swaziland. One associated with
good planning, excellent
programmes and impressive
delivery. We've had headlines
that tell the world that the
Swazi people and their systems
can be trusted, relied upon with
funds and are worthy of
assistance. First it was the
news that Swaziland had been
chosen as the first country to
benefit from an historic
alliance between F.C. Barcelona
and UNICEF to help protect the
rights of children, particularly
in the sphere of HIV and AIDS.

A whopping E7 million was
donated by the club. Through a
well orchestrated campaign, a
formidable partnership with the
media in Swaziland and abroad as
well as a dedicated staff,
UNICEF Swaziland put together a
comprehensive package about the
issues on the ground regarding
children in the country.

Such a publicity campaign,
UNICEF Communications Manager
Nonhlanhla Hleta observed, was
sent out to the world and
attracted the attention of such
philanthropists as the President
of FC Barcelona Joan Laporta and
the team. Barca, as the team is
affectionately referred to by
its millions of fans from around
the world, saw that Swaziland
was working hard to stop AIDS,
but faced enormous obstacles.
Thus the decision to help
towards improving the lives of
the children.

Through the assistance,
education and sports programmes
will be strengthened to provide
better protection, care and
support for OVC.

"FC Barcelona shows us that
sports can be a powerful
positive force for children. The
team has opened a door of hope
to thousands of children," was
how UNICEF Executive Director
Ann M. Veneman summed up the
recognition of Swaziland as a
country that is worthy of the
team's attention and support.
The spill-over effects to the
country's sporting fratenity,
tourism sector and general
international image were also
some of the positives to come
our way from a visit by some of
the luminaries in FC Barcelona.
Then came another headline
grabbing development, a E35
million donation to NERCHA
through Global Fund by Product
(RED) - an initiative of world
famous Irish Rock star and U2
lead singer Bono.The funds
generated through the Product
(RED) initiative are spent on
the programmes that are approved
in the Global Fund grant
proposals.

Leading products and world
brands dedicate a percentage of
their profits to the Global
Fund. They are then channelled
to programmes that positively
impact the lives of women and
children affected by HIV and
AIDS in Africa. Swaziland and
Rwanda were chosen as the first
countries to receive Global Fund
grants that will benefit from
income generated by (RED).

Understandably, when the
story was published on Monday,
some people did not pick that
these were not necessarily new
funds, but funds that were
allocated to NERCHA through its
applications for Global Fund
grants which were awarded in
2003 and 2005, respectively.
NERCHA said yesterday that it
had been flooded with calls by
people who wanted to access the
money and had proposals ready.
Some were of the view that this
was new money altogether.

The Swazi Observer article
stated these were not additional
funds from Product (RED), but a
replacement of funds earmarked
for these grants in the Global
Fund 'pot' freeing up the
resources for use in other
deserving countries. The
paragraph read: "While RED funds
are not additional to the grants
already approved by the Global
Fund Board, (RED) income will
replace resources earmarked for
these grants in the Global Fund
'pot', freeing up these
resources for other grant
renewals of future funding
rounds."

The article also listed a
number of projects in Swaziland
where (RED) money is supporting
Global Fund - financed programms.
The calls to NERCHA are another
indication that people out there
are ready to work once they are
given the resources to do so.

The point being made here is
that NERCHA's work, its proven
record, good management and a
good product, co-operation with
stakeholders and hardwork has
made Swaziland to be recognised
in the world as having a strong
track record within the Global
Fund's performance-based model
of evaluation.

King
leaves for France
By Lucky Simelane

From The Swazi Observer

15 February
2007

HIS Majesty King Mswati III
yesterday morning left the
Matsapha Airport for Cannes,
France leading a delegation
to attend the 24th
Conference of Heads of State
of Africa and France
(Franco-Africa Summit).

He was accompanied by
Inkhosikati LaMasango. His
plane left at around 1a.m.

The summit ends tomorrow.
His Majesty is also expected
to proceed to Germany.

Discussions at the summit
are expected to focus on:

* Africa responding to
the exploitation of its raw
materials;

* Africa’s position in
international organisations;

* The position in
South-South Dialogue;

* How the rest of the
world perceive Africa;

* The image Africans
would like to project;

* Doing away with most
common cliches; and

* Ways the parties
express national opposition.

The king and his
delegation will participate
in the summit “within the
context of southern Africa’s
priority to promote the
developmental agenda of the
South through the
consolidation of North-South
relations”.

‘She said we’re HIV+, we beat her
up’By Starsky Mkhonta
From The Swazi Observer

14 February
2007

A woman got more than what she had bargained for after
allegedly gossiping about two women to the effect that
they were living with HIV.

The women assaulted her for the alleged gossip and
she preferred charges against them with the police.
Appearing before court, the accused

*Thembi Zwane and *Nzunzu Khoza told the court that
they had reasons for assaulting

* Khabo Dlamini as she kept on telling people that
they were living with HIV and sleeping around thereby
spreading the virus.

Recently appointed Nhlangano National Court President
Prince Siphosonkhe presided over the matter. The accused
were found guilty and convicted. It was on February 1,
2007 when Dlamini was turned to a punching bag with the
women kicking her all over the body in full view of the
public. The court heard that Dlamini was left by the two
for dead. The fight took place near one of the grocery
shops in Ndubazi, outside Nhlangano town.

“She was in the company of her brother when she
passed by the place at which we were relaxing. What
irked us is that she laughed while passing by and we
knew, without doubt, that she was laughing at us but
never took any action. When she returned, we confronted
her about her actions. This was after having been
informed that she had been spreading unfounded
allegations that we are living with HIV . We wanted her
to explain why she was spreading information she was not
sure about,” said Zwane.

A fight is said to have ensued, with onlookers
cheering the women. Khoza is said to have later joined
in as her friend was seemingly losing the fight. “I did
not intend to harm her. In fact, even though she had
also labelled me as being living with HIV, my intention
was to make peace.

While trying to calm the situation, the complainant
spit on my face. I failed to contain myself and reacted
by fighting her.”The complainant was left for dead in a
pool of blood and her parents were alerted.

When the Court President asked the accused if they
had at any stage declared their HIV status to the
complainant, they declined.

“Your Worship, we were employed in Pretoria [South
Africa] and only returned after my friend [accused one]
became sick suffering from tuberculosis (TB). On our
return home, she lived on medication, as per the
doctor’s prescription. That could be the reason the
complainant thought we were living with HIV,” said Khoza.

The accused were sentenced to four months
imprisonment with a fine option of E80 each. Fortunately
for them, the sentence was suspended.

* Not their real names.

I drank and drove
because of stress - lecturer

By Starsky Mkhonta
From The Swazi Observer

14 February
2007

A man left the gallery in stitches
when he told the court that he had
been drinking alcoholic beverages in
order to distress.

Drink-driving charged Andrew Zweli
Xaba, a lecturer in one of the
institutions around the country, told
Nhlangano Senior Magistrate Peter
Simelane that his mother was sick and
for him to overcome stress, he opted
to wash down his sorrows with the
waters of imortality.

He said his mother’s condition was
tormenting him. Xaba was facing two
counts. On count one he was charged
with driving under the influence of
alcohol and on the second he was
charged with transporting passengers
using his vehicle, a Datsun 1400
registered SD 782 GS, when its base
was not fit to carry passengers. He
pleaded guilty to both counts and the
court thereafter convicted him as
charged. He was arrested last Saturday
along the Sandleni public road.

It was during mitigation when he
told the court of what had driven him
to commit the offence. “Even on the
day of my arrest by Hlatikulu traffic
police, I was trying to come to terms
with the situation at home. My mother
is sickly,” stated Xaba. About the
passengers, he said he had offered
them a ride to their respective homes
as they had missed public transport.
“Were you not placing yourself in
serious danger by drinking alcoholic
beverages while driving? Wouldn’t it
have hurt your mother, and worsened
her condition, to learn that you had
been involved in a horrific accident
because of driving under the influence
of alcohol?” said the magistrate.

For count one, the accused was
sentenced to 12 months imprisonment
with an option of a E1 200 fine.

On the second, he was sentenced to
30 days imprisonment with an option of
a E30 fine, but this sentence was
suspended. For the principal charge,
that of drink-driving, the accused
pleaded with the court to be allowed
to pay the fine later as all his money
had been spent on school fees.

“My appeal to the honourable court
is for payment of the fine to be
deferred until I manage to raise the
money. I would also be glad if the
court could as well allow me to do
staggered payment,” he said.

The court granted the former
request and rejected the latter.

“You can only be allowed to pay the
fine in total anytime before the 23rd
of February 2007. This should not be
later than 3p.m on that date. We
object to your request that you be
allowed to pay the fine in
instalments,” said prosecutor Fikile
Nhlabatsi.

A Mozambican
chopped-off
testicles and slit
open another’s
throat for allegedly
having sex while he
was in the same
room.

The incident
happened on
Wednesday morning at
around 6am at
Mvutshini near
Mdzimba mountain.

Apparently for a
long time, Alede
Chauke (20) claims
he was annoyed by
his room mate and
best friend Vincent
Matsebula (20) who
made noises each
time he made love to
his girlfriend, also
a Mozambican.

The three,
together with
Chauke’s daughter,
share a tiny hovel
and a sponge they
rent from a landlady
at Ezulwini.

On normal days
the two appeared to
be best friends who
were always
inseparable. On the
day of the incident
the two left around
6am and did not
return until news
spread that one had
been mutilated.

Tanele Dlamini, a
neighbour, said
Chauke returned a
while after 6a.m.
but without his
friend.

“At around 10a.m.
we saw a Fire and
Emergency Services
ambulance
approaching and it
was being followed
by a police van. The
vehicles were headed
for the mountain
near the army camp,”
she explained.

It was later
gathered that a
soldier who
patrolled the area
discovered Matsebula
bleeding profusely
and alerted the
police and firemen.

It was the same
soldier who directed
the rescue team to
the scene. After
taking Matsebula
away police came to
arrest Chauke whom,
ironically, they
found holding the
former’s daughter
while the woman was
at the tap, drawing
water.

Dlamini said the
police questioned
Chauke as to why he
did that to his
friend and that is
when he revealed
that he was annoyed
by the couple when
they made love.

Chauke is said to
have argued with the
arresting officers
that he was also
human and,
therefore, could not
stand the moaning
and groaning by the
two while he
imagined his
girlfriend far away
in Mozambique.

“He then led the
police to the nearby
hillock where he dug
up the knife he used
to cut Matsebula’s
throat and
testicles,” she
said, adding that
they watched in
great shock as all
this was happening.

One of Matse’s
acquaintances
suggested that there
may have been a plot
to stage an alibi
for Chauke.

She told police
that Matse came to
her to say her
boyfriend was taken
by three men early
in the morning to
give him work.

“On Chauke’s
return from the
hillock alone the
two seemed very
relieved and happy,”
she said. When our
news team arrived
Matse had already
been taken by the
police together with
Chauke.

The four
Mozambicans moved
into the rented
one-room house in
February. They were,
and still,
unemployed.
Neighbours fail to
explain how they
earned a living
except that they
cooked meals, washed
clothes and bathed,
just like the rest
of everyone.

The victim, lying
critically ill at
the Mbabane
Government Hospital,
is under life
support. He is
unable to speak
because his throat
(trachea) was slit
open. One of the
nurses looking after
Matsebula said she
had no idea how he
survived.

“It’s very
unlikely for someone
to survive in this
state. I understand
he lost both his
testicles but we
still have not
checked him as he
was last treated in
the casualty ward,”
she said. When our
news crew tried to
talk to him no voice
came out.

Police Public
Relation’s Officer
Superintendent Vusi
Masuku confirmed the
incident and the
suspect is currently
under police
custody.

Chauke was
supposed to appear
for his remand
hearing yesterday
morning but was
instead taken for
confession. It was
gathered that Chauke
insisted on speaking
in Portuguese until
the court was forced
to engage an
interpreter.

Who
said
skinny
women
are
sexy?
Date
Published:
Thursday,
January
1,
1970
From The Swazi Observer

...with
Cassandra
Shaw

I
wonder
who
came
up
with
the
theory
that
thin
women
are
beautiful
and
sexy.
That
person
might
have
been
out
of
his
or
her
mind.

There
is
absolutely
nothing
as
beautiful
and
sexy
as
a
full-bodied
woman.

In
society,
such
women
are
thought
to
be
fat
and
plump,
but
wait
a
minute,
these
are
the
women
who
make
heads
turn
and
also
make
better
wives.

In
fact,
men
want
to
marry
women
who
really
look
like
‘women’,
complete
with
full
figures.
What’s
the
point
of
marrying
a
skinny
brat
with
a
thigh
size
equivalent
to
a
chicken’s?

Such
women
no
longer
appeal
to
the
opposite
sex,
instead
they
use
them
then
leave
because
there
is
nothing
to
treasure.
The
sad
thing
about
skinny
women
is
that
they
like
showing
off
their
bony
assets
(which
make
us
want
to
puke).

They
feel
as
if
they
are
walking
on
the
moon
and
their
bodies
are
to
die
for
whereas
they
are
creepy
creatures
in
the
form
of
human
beings.

Believe
me,
I’m
not
jealous,
it’s
just
that
the
truth
should
be
told.
Some
people
believe
a
good
model
is
one
who
looks
anorexic.

Even
though
I’m
not
well
versed
on
the
type
of
body
features
modeling
agencies
look
for,
I’m
sure
they
would
not
want
to
hire
someone
who
looks
like
a
fish
skeleton,
but
maybe
a
size
32
or
34
is
better.

Like
I
mentioned
earlier,
these
thin
creatures
show
off
their
bony
assets
and
expect
everyone
to
appreciate.
I
then
say
to
myself,
“What
is
appealing
about
this
body
because
it
looks
like
a
malnutritioned
child?”
Have
your
say,
but
I
feel
full-figured
women
are
naturally
beautiful.

I’m
a
size
34
and
proud
of
it.
I
don’t
care
who
says
what,
but
I
know
I
am
better
off
than
an
old
lady
who
doesn’t
eat
at
all
just
because
she
wants
to
be
a
size
28.
It
sounds
crazy
to
me
because
the
more
you
do
not
eat,
the
more
malnutritioned
you
look.

Apart
from
being
an
undesirable
feature,
skinny
women
don’t
use
their
brains
for
the
right
reasons.

All
they
think
about
are
the
latest
trends
in
fashion,
who’s
dating
who,
who
fell
pregnant
over
the
festive
season
and
if
there
is
any
‘hot’
guy
around
town.
They
also
like
to
buy
the
most
expensive
perfume
to
impress
their
‘would
be’
dates.

Most
of
them
are
selfish,
ignorant
and
unattractive.
They
puff
up
their
faces
and
look
like
purple
chameleons.
What’s
the
hype
about
being
slim
because
every
clothing
shop
has
a
size
to
fit
almost
all
body
shapes
in
society.

These
‘slimmers’
go
on
for
days
without
food,
some
even
going
to
the
extent
of
having
a
bottle
of
baby
purity
or
nestum
just
to
ease
the
discomfort
in
their
stomachs,
then
drink
gallons
and
gallons
of
water.

There
is
absolutely
nothing
wrong
with
drinking
water,
but
these
women
drink
it
for
the
sake
of
showing
off.

It’s
very
appealing
to
stare
at
a
woman
and
see
all
the
features
as
they
are,
without
having
to
guess
if
there
is
any
flesh
under
those
clothes
or
just
skin
and
bones.

This
is
not
to
say
people
should
not
follow
a
healthy
diet.
There
are
many
people
who
eat
healthy
foods
and
still
look
beautiful,
and
they
are
not
skinny
and
bony,
but
very
beautiful.

If
maybe
you
have
friends
who
always
boast
about
being
thin,
tell
them
there
is
nothing
as
beautiful,
sexy
and
appealing
as
a
woman
who
has
all
the
assets
in
their
right
proportion!